


Butterfly Effect

by Something_Like_Space



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Kind of AU, and there might be some sultry scenes in the future, and things turned out differently in EP21, because you will see dead people, lol, me too, wonder how that will turn out?, yes Ian and Mikasa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23230621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Something_Like_Space/pseuds/Something_Like_Space
Summary: Gunther raises his arms above his head instinctively, trying to protect himself, trying to grasp something to prevent his fall.One little change during the battle in the Forest will shape the future accordingly. Like a butterfly effect.
Relationships: Mikasa Ackerman/Ian Dietrich (temporary), Mikasa Ackerman/Levi
Comments: 11
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

“Auruo! Petra!” Erd calls them out as they all take off with 3DMGs’, Gunther by his side, facing the people in question - plus Eren.

“You guys pissed your pants and cried on your first mission! You are all grown up now!”

“Don’t say that! What if Eren stops respecting me, Erd?” Petra yells at Erd in disbelief, clearly doesn’t want the newest addition in their squad to learn this little secret so early. Eren turns his face to Petra with an open mouth, clearly in shock. _It really happened?_

“Can you deny it?” Erd asks with an indifferent expression although he is on the verge of laughing at the comical expressions on Petra and Eren’s faces. “And for the record, I didn’t, Eren” he clarifies nonetheless.

“Idiot!” Aurou splutters making Eren turn his gaze away from Petra and to him instead “I have killed more of them than you! I’ve got more kills stupid!”

“Your kill counts isn’t what makes a soldier” Erd reasons.

“Shut up idiot!”

“Petra!” Eren calls for her attention “Does that mean you sprayed it everywhere in mid-air?”

“Shut up” Gunther yells fed up with them all. After all, they are on midair, outside of the walls by all themselves and trying to retreat as soon as possible before they find themselves in the stomach of a titan.

“Do you think you are on a picnic? We are outside of the walls!” They all fell silent with that for a moment until Gunther adds. “I didn’t piss my pants either, Eren”

Out of the corner of his eyes, he can see that Petra and Aurou shift uncomfortably. Clearly getting ready to continue defending themselves but before they could get the chance to open their mouths Gunther realizes the green smoke signal on his right.

_Oh, that must be the signal from Captain Levi._

“We’ll rendezvous with the Captain!” he said loudly so everybody could hear him despite the wind raging around them while they continue moving forward. “Cut the chatter until we get back.”

With that being said he comes to a stop on a thick branch of one of the trees that surrounds them and fires his own smoke gun towards the sky, indicating where they are so the Captain could meet with them on the location where they are on. He jumps from the tree and fires his 3DMG’s wires, quickly catches up with the rest of the squad. They continue to move forward silently until a figure in hoodies approaches them, drawing the attention of Gunther first. He takes a look at his right observing the person who is now moving alongside them.

 _Captain Levi?_ He assumes, but could not shake the feeling that something is wrong. He does not remember a single time of their Captain wearing his hoodie unless it was completely necessary like the weather is too cold or rainy. And on the second look, the person next to them is relatively taller than their captain.

“No, it is not!” Gunther mumbles to himself before starting to yell at the figure “Who are you?”

And with that whoever that is, turn themselves in mid-air landing on the trunk of the first tree on the way and push themselves right onto Gunther. Before he could even comprehend what just happened the figure draws their blades out and cut one of the wires that are attached to Gunther’s 3DMG. With the wire is gone Gunther’s balance has completely destroyed and he starts to fell backward right into the tree where the other wire holding him in the air has attached. He raises his arms above his head instinctively, trying to protect himself, trying to grasp something to prevent his fall. The second he knows his arms crash with the tree forcefully and because he was so fast the begin with, that one hit is not enough to break his momentum so he bounces off of the tree just to get crash with it again - with his right side this time. The hook that is attached to the wires finally gives off from all the impacts and slips from the hole that was chapped open when first fired. Gunther fell to the grass field beneath him unceremoniously.

“Gunther!” Eren roars while he is gathering his speed towards the scene. The other members of the squad still in shock.

“What? Why?” Eren asks loudly to no one particular, he is trying to understand what just unfolds in front of their own eyes.

“Gunther!” he shouts out again but before he could ascend to the ground to take a good look at him he is pulled by Aurou from the collar of his cloak.

“Eren, don’t stop! Keep moving!” he orders while pushing Eren forward. Eren fires his 3DMG before he could fall and turns his back to look where Gunther was now left behind.

“But! Gunther is...” he says and briefly sees Erd descend to check up on Gunther on the grass field and all of a sudden a figure, the figure, blocks his view.

“Who is it?” he gasps.

“Protect Eren!” Aurou yells at Petra.

“Damn! What now?” Erd is catching up with them.

“Erd! Which way should we go?”

“We don’t have time to reach the horses. Head for headquarters as fast as possible!”

“Gunther?” Eren asks to Erd, didn’t feel the need to specify his question, they all know what he meant.

“He is alive.” Erd informs them with serious eyes, observing that relief wash over his teammates “We are going to come back for him but now move forward!” and they all fire ahead, try to get further away from there, and from the person who is chasing them, as fast as possible.

“Is it the female form Titan? Or is there more than one?” Aurou inquires loudly so the others could hear him.

 _The female form Titan? Impossible! Didn’t we capture it?_ Eren feels his head start to spin a little and he starts to get nauseous too when the mysterious figure, most likely the female titan, disappeared behind the thick trees surround them. They all fall into silence as they are waiting for the next move. Chocking on anxiety and anticipation, their hands grasp the handle of their swords tightly.

 _Did she just give up?_ Eren thought right before the lighting flashes and roars emerges ahead of them and the female titan that followed them earlier that day emerges from the woods running at full speed towards them, steam is fuming all over her enormous body.

“I knew it!” Aurou yells.

“It’s coming!” Erd gasps “The female Titan!”

They are fast on their 3DMGs’ however it does not take much before the female titan close the distance between them.

“Dammit! This time I will defeat you!” Eren yells at the female titan and brings his hand toward his mouth. He is about to bite it harshly when the objections all around come to stop him.

“No!” Erd shouts.

“Stop Eren! What? Do you doubt us?” Aurou asks, angrily.

“Is that it Eren?” Petra calls for his attention behind him “Do you find it that hard to believe in us?”

“B-but I-“

“No buts!” Erd cuts in on “You will continue to head straight to headquarters at top speed! The tree of us will kill the female titan!”

Eren eyes them, hesitating. “This is the best move!” Erd tries to convince him, urging him to move on. Eren calculates it in his mind quickly - he doesn’t want to leave them here all alone to face their fates, especially not after he saw what the female titan is capable of. Yet he also saw the power of the legion and its soldiers and how things turned out alright when he put his faith in them. Glanced at them individually one last time he declares his decision with tightly closed eyes.

“I have faith that my squad will be victorious! Good luck!” and with that, he turns his back towards them and continues full speed forward.

The three of them smile so slightly and nod their heads to him before they turn their back also, launching at the titan that is now following very closely. When Eren turns his head to look at them he sees the titan dodging Erd’s attack easily. Its hand reaches out to catch its attacker. Erd quickly fell back while Aurou and Petra bolt forward, attaching their 3DMG wires to the Titan’s check, they attack the titan straight in the eyes spin their swords several times until the titan falters on its steps, going blind. Eren gasps while the titan leans its back on a tree nearby, hand flies above to cover its neck. The three of them continue to work together coherently. Erd points out his armpits to others and they agree without speaking. They continue their attacks on the titans’ arms and exposed armpits. Although he puts some distance between them now Eren still could see how deep their cuts are. Blood and steam are everywhere and with the last few charges toward the same areas that they have been attacking the muscles that hold female titan’s arms up begin to tear off, her arms fell behind her sides - lifeless.

“Now for the neck!” Eren hears Erd giving instructions to others as he stops in mid-air to watch his squad. To say that he was impressed by their strength would be an understatement. He is mesmerized by how they could coordinate such synchronized attacks without uttering a word.

I _suppose it’s only because they trust one another. They have been together for a while now and have overcome many hardships together. The belief they put on one another only makes them grew stronger. I’ll keep going._ Eren thinks while turning his face ahead and away from them. _If I keep going forward and believe in them without turning back, then... I’m sure that is the right answer. I finally understand._

However, suddenly he has a gut feeling that something is wrong. He turns his face toward his team to take a peek again and that is when he sees it.

“Strike for its neck now!” Erd cries out and rushes for the female titan to do just that, others hot on his heels. The blind titan turns her face toward the voice suddenly. As Eren watches with dismay the female titan opens her mouth to bite Erd who is taken by surprise by the sudden act. His tries for falling back are in vain, come on top of them make him lose his balance altogether. He briefly collides with the upper lips of the titan and she closes her mouth without wasting time, tearing the flesh off of Erd’s legs by doing it. Erd’s screams of agony fill Eren’s ears and as he watches Erd push himself off of the titan with the help of his strong arms. His wires take off from where they were attached and he fell to the ground, his 3DMG breaks by the impact and the remains from it scatters all around.

“Erd!” Petra cries out.

Eren turns his body around and fires his 3DMG forward. He uses the tree on the way for sidling and rushes back to where his team is located. The titan gets off of the tree and fully get backs on its two feet again, only one eye healed and now on Petra.

Immediately she starts to chase Petra off while she flies away, close to the ground. She is going to crush her! Eren realizes in horror and he hears Aurou yelling at Petra, urging her to get out of the way. Eren also catches himself yelling meaningless things to no one. He painfully becomes aware of the fact that neither he nor Aurou could stop the female titan before her foot smashes Petra on the ground. Aurou is relatively closer to them than Eren yet they both are not close enough to do anything.

 _She is going to die!_ He thinks as dread settles down on his stomach. _Unless..._

* * *

_“I don’t know” Captain Levi tells him while he is riding his horse ahead of them, the squad is following behind._

_"I never have. I can believe in my own abilities or the choices of my trusted comrades. But no one ever knows how things will turn out._

_Do it if you want.”_

* * *

The swords he drew earlier just in case slips from his hands, falling to the open space beneath him.

 _All I need to do to draw its attention away from Petra_. He trusts his comrades alright but right now he needs them to believe in him too. He needs to do something. _Otherwise Petra wi_ -

He bites his hand.

Very loud and very bright lighting flashed for a second in woods before deafening groans coming from his titan-self could be heard all over the place. He takes off running toward the female titan, his steps rumbles and they shake the whereabouts every time he set his foot on the ground.

He realizes pleasantly that he does not lose his control over his titan form, unlike the last time. He is awake and aware and he notices with satisfaction that he indeed draws the attention of female titan because she looks at him straight in the eyes as he running towards her.

Petra is still alive and well as she lands on a high branch of the tree behind the female titan. Aurou joins her as soon as he took Erd off of the ground and off the two titans’ way. They are staring at him with the same confused looks, not sure what to do next.

Eren throws a punch on the female titan when he gets close however she avoids it quickly, simply tilting her head away a little. She takes her own stance and lands a kick on Eren’s stomach. He falters on his feet his saliva spills everywhere but he regains his composure fast. He takes his foot off of the ground barely and punches female titan right in the face. So forcefully that she flies back and hits her back to a tree behind. Eren bends his arms and raises them in front of his face, taking a defensive position while female titan gets back on its feet once again. Steam fumes from her body as she regenerates.

Eren starts to throw punches at her once again yet they landed on nowhere as she dodges them all without putting much effort. He finally manages to land one of his punches on her arm which caused her to fall on the ground. Before Eren could do anything more however she gets on her feet and starts to run away from them.

Eren follows.

“Eren wait!”

“Idiot! Where are you going!” He hears Petra and Aurou yell at him respectively, yet he does not stop and continues on his run to catch the female titan. He is on a mission. He feels powerful. And there are lives of his comrades that he needs to avenge. He could have stopped it all along and could have saved many of them yet he didn’t - he made the wrong decision back then he is sure of it.

He is not going to repeat his mistakes this time.

Back on the branch Aurou and Petra silently decide that Eren lost his control over his titan form, if he had the control at all in the first place and make a move to follow him, they are going to try to get him off of his titan body. However, they have to stop when the chase between two titans ends quickly as Eren catches up with the female titan and starts to continue his attacks once again. They cannot get Eren out like this. He keeps moving. So they keep a close watch on from a safe distance as Eren manages to get female titan on its back and straddles her quickly. He raises his huge titan arm and lands his hand right onto her face. However, his hand collides with the ground instead when she gets her face out of the route his way. His hand, as well as some parts of his upper arm, tear off with the impact. He uses his other hand to do the same only for the same thing repeated itself and left him handless.

Eren straightens up a little but that is enough for the female titan to tug her legs up underneath Eren’s while holding on his arms and get herself off from his grip. Eren makes a move to stop her in no time however she pushes him away and makes him fall onto his back. They continue to fight for a while to the point that both collapse to the ground, exhausted.

“Now!” Aurou mumbles to Petra and shot his wires on a nearby tree to get Eren however as soon as he attached his 3DMG wires to a nearby tree female titan gets a hold of the wires and pulls them. Aurou shins forward with a cry. The ground is coming nearer and nearer. As he is about the crash though he felt an impact of his side. Petra collides with him near the ground trying to catch him before his final fall. Yet he is heavier and they are so fast to stop so they crash unceremoniously to the ground. Sore and bruised.

But at least alive.

Female titan has already turned its attention away from them and to Eren and out of blue she gets such a position that makes Eren freeze in his position.

He doesn’t react even as Female titan raises her foot from the ground and kicks Eren right on the face with so much force that Aurou and Petra both see from their position that the half of Eren’s face along with his right hand and a part of the tree that he has been resting upon are flying on air. Petra cries out as Aurou exhales sharply beside her. They both could do nothing but watch in shock as Eren fall on the ground and female titan kneels to get on his level. She opens her mouth so wide that the sides of it tear. They watch dreadfully as female titan closes her lips around Eren’s neck where his body is placed and take a large bite. Blood splatters everywhere and they briefly see Eren, still attached to his titan body and unable to move.

“Eren!” they hear faintly a different voice called for Eren alongside with the gas and wire firing sounds emanating from a 3DMG but both don’t turn around to see who it is as their eyes set on the view of female titan bit Eren off from his titan body and swallow him whole. She stands up and glances at them briefly but clearly doesn’t want to waste any more time as she turns around and runs in the opposite direction.

Everything seems to fall into silence while Aurou and Petra try to comprehend what just happened, still on the ground, bleeding here and there and feeling the guilt start to suffocate them. Eren got eaten before their eyes and they were not able to do anything.

The mission was failed.

They had failed.

_Eren died._

Petra feels tears start to well up behind her eyes and it is when they feel something, or someone, goes off above them. They barely catch the flashes of red and black and the wings of freedom that had been embroidered the back of the soldier’s green cloak.

They are in shock and are exhausted and they disappointed in themselves greatly. Both stop thinking at this point, they just watching the soldier, a girl apparently, attacks the female titan over and over again with blank minds and empty eyes. They see the girl cuts the female titan’s check and moves to tear some flesh off of her arms. Female titan’s left-hand flies back to her neck to protect herself while the right tries to catch her attacker. Her hand grabs the air as the soldier dodges away quickly. The girl doesn’t stop after that and immediately goes for the titan’s legs, cutting the tendons and makes the titan fall on her arm and knees. They see the girl lands on a nearby tree, changing the blades of her sword, giving enough time for the female titan to get back up.

Aurou and Petra gasp when the titan tries to crush the girl with her hand as the girl lets herself fall and gets out of the way as the titan’s hand crushes the space she was standing a second ago. That’s when they feel for the second time something goes off above them. They look and see the female titan is on the run again and the girl follows her inches away.

The chase is over as soon as it started however as they see their Captain grabs the girl by the waist and pulls them both backward.

The spell that puts them on their frozen position is broken in this way. They both get up on their feet and start collecting the unattached parts of their 3DGMs. Miraculously they are still functional even though not as fast anymore. They shoot off quickly to meet with their Captain who is now following the female titan alongside the soldier they have seen earlier on.

“.. along with the neck.” they hear the captain talking with the girl “Is Eren dead?”

“He is alive!” she answers him with gritted teeth “Our target seems highly intelligent, and capturing Eren is apparently her primal goal. If she wanted him dead, she could’ve crushed him in her jaws. Instead, she’s carefully holding Eren inside her mouth while trying to escape.”

Aurou’s eyes widen as Petra sucks a breath. Captain Levi turns his head to look at them.

“Aurou! Petra! I saw Gunther on my way there! Take him and Erd and retreat to the meeting point!” Levi orders, observing the exhaustion emanating from them. They are no use in that state and would only inconvenience on his part. He briefly considers ordering the girl to retreat as well, not wanting to lose any more soldiers today, however, she seems to be in her best shape and she seems to be intelligent which is always handy on the field. Besides he had a feeling ordering her to retreat now is not going to work.

“B-but – Captain!” Petra protests weakly, not willing to leave their Captain to face the beast ahead of them without their assistance.

“Retreat! Now!” Levi barks at them. Aurou and Petra briefly share a glance.

“Yes, sir!” Aurou says through gritted teeth as they both fall back, unwillingly. “Good luck!” they shout at them before leaving to do exactly what Captain asked from them.

“Eating Eren may also have been her goal. If so, he would’ve ended up in her stomach.” Levi turns his attention to the girl who is moving forward beside him “It makes more sense to assume he is dead.”

“He is alive!”

“I hope you are right.” he glances in her way briefly.

“If only you’d protected Eren, this never would have happened!” she snaps, looking up at him anger shadows her face. He raises his eyebrows at that and the flashbacks from the courtroom where Eren’s trial has hold comes to him suddenly, he remembers this angry face, has seen it before when he beat Eren up. Levi turns his body around after adjusting the 3DMG’s wires. Now he could face her and keep flying through at the same time.

“Now I see. It was you back then.” He says to her, letting her know that he remembers “You are Eren’s close friend.” He concludes and sees how her face softens at the mention of that briefly before he turns around and faces the female titan’s back again.

“We will focus all our manpower on one goal. First of all, forget about killing the female titan. “

“But she killed so many of our comrades!”

“So long as she can crystallize her skin, there is no way we can kill her. Trust my judgment. We’ll keep hoping that Eren is still alive, and attempt to rescue him before she leaves the forest. I’ll hack her up! You draw her attention!”

He watches her obeying his order as she immediately descends onto female titan’s feet trying to get in her way and keep her eyes on her. Levi shots himself further and descends a little, closer to the titan. He takes out his swords and turns the right one in a position that he is comfortable with. He observes closely while getting ready to attack when female titan turns around sharply and throws her right fist right into him. He uses this to his advantage, however. One of his swords sinks into the titan’s arm as he spins himself around he lets the other one sink as well. He continues to spin with the help of his 3DMG, stabbing the titan’s arm over and over again as he proceeds to going upward on her arm and to near her neck. He launches himself to her eyes when he is close enough and blinded the titan quickly by throwing his swords into her eyes. He draws new blades and shoots ahead in less than no time – the titan couldn’t find the time to get a hold of herself. He attacks her other arm this time climbing down from there and cutting the muscles in her legs. She drops onto the tree behind her harshly and she slides from there, landing on her ass. He attacks her arm’s muscle then until to the point they couldn’t hold the arms up and her arms fall to the ground leaving her neck exposed. He is contemplating his next move when he sees the girl before, the brat that supposed to draw attention, shot her wires into the titan’s shoulder and pulls herself closer to the titan’s open neck.

“Stop!” he yells and shots himself closer as well. He watches as the titan’s hand move to hit the raven-haired girl and has her glued into the tree. He observes as the girl has taken aback from the sudden movement but there is not enough space for her to escape from the attack. He flies at top speed and pushes her roughly in the back, getting her out of the titans reach. He lands on the titan’s hand in an odd position, his leg turns awkwardly and it cracks as the pain shot through his body. He groans but pushes himself to move on. He shoots for the titan’s mouth and cuts the joints there next, her mouth opens enormously as flesh hanging down from the sides of her mouth and covered in sticky titan saliva, an unconscious Eren Jeager resting upon her tongue. He shots himself again grabbing the boy quickly and getting out of the titan’s mouth before she gets a chance to attack.

“Hey!” he calls out to the girl as they land on a branch “We need to get out of here!”

“Eren!” she mumbles softly and he watches her as her joy from getting Eren back turns into worry.

“He is alright,” he assures her “Disgusting, but alright.” He couldn’t help but feel grossed out by the filthiness of the boy in his arms.

“Don’t worry about anything else. We’re pulling back.” He turns his back to her ready to retreat when he hears her objecting.

“Wait!”

“What?” he spats.

“We couldn’t leave just yet! We need to know whoever in the female titan!” he opens his mouth to give the girl a piece of his mind but she starts yelling at him again “They said they are going to decide whether Eren is valuable to humanity or not based on the results of this expedition back on the court! If we returned now with empty hands and with lot causalities, they will take him away!” she sputters frantically trying to make him understand. And he knows she is right because he was there as well, as Erwin suggests this idea to his higher-ups in Eren’s trial. “Now is our best chance she is blind and she can’t close her mouth. Yes, her back is closed by the tree but we still get her out – we could dive in from her mouth and cut her throat to get her out.” She lowers her voice just enough for him to hear as he starts to look at her as if she just grew a second head. The titan is healing back there and they are running out of time and she finally has it enough. “I will do it!” she shots herself off of the tree.

“Hey!” she hears him shouting at her, cursing her even.

She also is not sure of her plan but she feels like her body gains control over her mind and moves accordingly to it. Her wires attach themselves to the titan's cheeks, her mouth still wide open and she dives in as her stomach gives a leap inside, the amount of saliva in her mouth increases suddenly – she is in the titan’s mouth. She slides down to her throat at full speed and sinks her swords as soon as she reaches the end. She cuts the meaty area open and suddenly become face to face with the girl inside. Her eyes widen as she froze on the spot. The girl inside of the female titan is no stranger. Annie? Even though thick and red veins attached to her eyes and her torso covered her up everywhere firmly there is no denial. The girl stands in front of Mikasa is Annie. Mikasa stares her in shock. Annie’s eyes are closed but she could see the tears flowing down to her chin and everything happens so fast after that. Before she could collect herself cold steam blows up in her face, making her sway. She raises her arms to her face in an attempt to protect herself and through her narrowed eyes she could see that there is a new layer that starts to grow around Annie.

Strong arms circles her from behind and she feels herself pulled back suddenly, finding herself out of the titan’s mouth and on the open forest again. A new wave of steam bursts through Annie’s titan body makes her and Captain Levi knock against a tree. As her back crushes against Captain Levi’s chest she realizes it was him who took her out of Annie’s mouth and saving her life in the process.

Cold winds roar against them as they cover their face with their arms and hands. As it all comes to an end Mikasa stood where she is for a second feeling horrified of how much they don’t know and silently wonders just how many titans are living amongst them within the Walls.


	2. Chapter 2

**–3 YEARS LATER –**

The decision came two weeks ago along with a bustling Commander Pixis who had bolted through the gates of the Scouting Legion’s headquarter.

He demanded to see Commander Erwin as soon as possible. The two soldiers behind him, a red-haired woman and a bearded man looking as grim as he did. No one knew what had been talked behind the closed door of Erwin’s office nor when the meeting had been over. Only that there were no signs of Hange, Mike, and Levi that night as well. 

The next day, in the morning, Erwin announced the new enactment. The scouts were to assist the garrison soldiers while they patrol the inner cities of Wall Rose – for an indefinite period. He didn’t tell them the reason why but that wasn’t the first time they were left in the dark. They all saluted him after he had done talking and all murmured among themselves jadishly as an additional workload burdened onto their shoulders. 

One week later their patrol duties have officially started. The plan was to assign one person out of each squad, along with a superior soldier of the Scouts, to a Garrison team. And then they could help them patrol the cities.

Mikasa raises her head to take a look at the top of Wall Rose, seeing soldiers’ features deploying in there. It is her turn to do her first patrol today, so here she is along with several other soldiers from other squads, hands on the pockets of her coat. The sky is clear and the weather is freezing. She is cold despite her beloved scarf circling her neck as she waits to be assigned to a Garrison team. 

Hange, as she did to all other 104th trainees, accompanies her on the mission. She glances at the squad leader in question to find her talking animatedly with some soldiers from the Garrison. She looks at the Walls once again and couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy as she remembers Eren is somewhere beyond them. They said their farewells on a freezing morning that the patrol duties started. He left the Walls along with Special Squad and Captain Levi who, she couldn’t help but notice, was wearing the cravat she has gifted him for his birthday just a month ago - it was only fair since she was the one who ruined the former. 

As her thoughts slips to the captain, she couldn’t help but remember there was a time she despised him with everything she had. 

It hasn’t been easy for her biases to get shattered down but when they’d managed to capture Annie on that day, and she’d caused him to break his leg on the process, her views toward him began to change. He was replaced from the field for the following weeks of his recovery and that was on her without a doubt. She felt guilty. She was guilty. And what made her feel worse was the fact that he didn’t seem to hold it against her. He was as indifferent as he always has been, and she, unconsciously, has started trying to make it up to him by showing respect. She started saluting him whenever they came across in the halls or nodding her head in acknowledgment if their eyes were to meet during meal times, across from their respective tables. She started obeying his orders on the battlefield, whenever she was placed under his authority, attacking and retreating as he said so. 

His decisions never let her down.

So she started trying to trust him with Eren, and that was the hardest one of them all, something she still couldn’t exactly manage to do but getting closer to there with each passing day. 

For about the two and a half years their interactions have been about it. Until Commander Erwin decided that it was time for her to start training with Levi instead of Mike. 

Once seeing her potential Erwin had encouraged her to train with Mike since he was one of the strongest soldiers’ that humanity had to offer. And Mike had trained her alright, had pushed her to her limit and beyond. She had been blocking one of Mike’s attacks and sending him on his back quickly afterward when Erwin was passing by with Hange on his side one day. He’d stood there and watched them before nodding his head slightly to her and left. 

The next day Captain Levi approached her in the mess hall announcing that they were to train together from now on. She was thrilled because even if she didn’t hate him anymore she still wanted to get him on his back. 

Soon she found out getting Captain Levi on his back wasn’t as easy as she used to fantasize.

If she thought that Mike’d pushed her limits, Levi was reshaping them. She felt like he was reading her mind before she could even have a chance to attack. He was blocking all of her attacks even the ones she didn’t plan to launch and did so out of instincts. No matter how much she trained, Levi was able to get her on her back every time they spar. 

As a conclusion of their continuing training, their acquaintances started to evolve something more. They were not friends but they were spending at least 2 hours with each other every single day aside from the Sundays – the official day off for all soldiers.

And things were going relatively stable between them until the day she had the audacity to be late for their training. She wasn’t even expecting him to wait as she ran to the training field. Yet she found him there, waiting and ready to scold. She bore through his reprimanding without saying anything, biting the inside of her checks the whole time because respecting him was one thing having to bear his obsession in order was another, even though he was right. 

And apparently, now she had to brew his tea since that ‘would kick some discipline into her’. 

This new punishment only increased the time they had to spend together. Now every morning after the training she had to brew his precious tea. At first, she was just preparing the tea and leaving quickly after that; but with time, and with the invitation from a certain captain, she started to stay to have a cup herself. 

On some days they drank silently, on some they talked about ordinary things.

It was on those days that Mikasa was revealed that he was not as cold-hearted as he seemed to be – it could even be said that he had a soft spot for the ones that were close to him. And it was on those days, unbeknownst to her, Captain Levi came to know her universe wasn’t centered on Eren and she deeply cared for all of her friends. 

And it was on those days that Mikasa needed something to wipe the stain she sputtered from the kettle in her hurry to prepare Captain’s tea before he came back from his shower. She didn’t give much of a thought before using the cleaning cloth left on the corner. Unfortunately, she didn’t notice the ‘cleaning cloth’ happened to be one of the precious cravats of her captain. 

When he realized what she had done his face almost turned purple as he was at a loss of words. She apologized, _mortified_ , and offered to clean the now dirty clothing up because she _swore_ she didn’t mean to _– not this time_ _a_ nd something in her frantic state made his eyes to soften as he took the cravat from her offending hands, telling her he would take care of it. 

She gifted him with a new cravat on his birthday the following week. 

“Mikasaa!” a singing voice calls her from the side, waking her up from her daydreams. She turns to see Hange.

“Let’s go! We are going to meet our new team on the upper side!” 

She simply nods instead as a form of answering. 

They start to walk the upper side while other soldiers start to scatter around also, all about to meet with their teams, four other scouts along with four other superiors heading in the same direction they do. Hange takes her arm as they continue walking, chatting about her recent researches that sound like a foreign language to Mikasa’s ears. When they finally get to their meeting point it is easy to find their assigned team. Among all the civilians the garrison logo embroidered jackets shine out to them. 

“Rico!” Hange yells while getting her arm out of Mikasa’s and starts running toward the bewildered woman, her spastic hand waving almost strike two by-passers in the face. 

Memories from the Battle of Trost flashes in her mind eye. How Rico and Captain Ian protected Eren as his titan form sealed the hole on the Wall Rose, left from the Colossal titan earlier that day. She remembered how brave they were, how determined. They weren’t from the Scouting Legion but they fought like a real scout that day, and almost died while clearing the titan filled path ahead of Eren. Mikasa wonders, briefly, whether humanity would be able to gain its first victory that day without their assistant, especially without – 

“Ackerman?” 

“Captain Ian?” she recognizes the man as the same man she was just thinking about.

“I almost didn’t recognize you.” He says his eyes fly all over her face “You have grown.” 

“Thank you.” She replies because something in his voice makes her believe that it is somewhat a compliment. 

“How have you been doing? I did hear you joined the Scouts,” his eyes glided to the emblem embroidered on her jacket “I guess I couldn’t have expected less from a skilled soldier as you have been.” 

“I think it is a shame.” A brunet she doesn’t know says behind Ian’s shoulder, “Joining the Scouts basically means signing your own death contract.” 

“Mind your own business, Eric.” Ian doesn’t give her a chance to reply and their attention suddenly drawn to the accommodation behind. Finally freeing herself from Hange, Rico calls out the soldiers around, she assigns them all in their make-shift squad after dividing them equally. 

Hange and Mikasa are to accompany two garrison members that Mikasa doesn’t know from before but just by looking at the way they held themselves she could say they are trainees. At least she doesn’t have to stick with _Eric._ Still, she almost rolls her eyes at the unnecessariness of the situation she finds herself in. Garrisons clearly have enough soldiers, more than Scouting Legion ever has, why do they need to babysit them while they do their job all of a sudden? She could say she isn’t the only one thinking this if the grimaces in her fellow soldiers’ faces are telling something – and she could also say the feeling is mutual by the expressions flash through the garrison soldiers’ faces as well. 

Hange takes her arm once again as they start making their way to the assigned neighbor. Ian and his team walking nearby as he talks with Hange about trivial things, like how he and his squad start hanging out in the new pub that started the business two months ago. 

“We even perform sometimes, usually after the owner convinces us by offering free drinks.” 

“Ah, I didn’t know you could sing Ian!” Hange says, intrigued.

“Oh no, no! Singing is Tommy’s job. I play the guitar though.” he replies Hange as they arrive the fork where Hange’s team supposed to go left and Ian’s to right. 

“That’s the pub I’ve been talking about.” He points out a cozy-looking small building, “In fact, we are planning to go there after the patrol. Why don’t you join us?”

“Only if you promise to play! We will be there, aren’t we Mikasa?” Mikasa turns her head sharply to look at Hange. She only went to a pub three or four times before, as she couldn’t see the appeal in loud and crowded places, and at those times she always had her own friends with her. Frankly hanging out with her superior officers in said loud, and crowded places don’t seem that appealing to her either. She starts shaking her head as she opens her mouth for a clear no when Hange decides for her. 

“Of course we will be there!” she throws her arm around Mikasa’s shoulders, almost making her stumble, “See you!” 

“Squad leader! I don’t think I will be able to join!” Mikasa starts speaking as they lead the way, Hange’s arm still on her shoulders and soldiers following behind. 

“Oh come on, Mikasa! It’s Sunday tomorrow, so you could rest! Besides I’m not that boring to hang out am I?” She asks tilting her head as if she is expecting a real answer and Mikasa has to admit even though Hange beats her rank, several times, she always treats her as a peer, if they are not on the battlefield, that is. She might also tend to talk very scientifically, to a degree that only Armin and Erwin seem to understand what she is saying, from time to time but overall she is a… interesting person to hang out with. If Mikasa has to be honest she often finds it intriguing to be around Hange. She sometimes reminds him of Sasha a little bit. 

“You deserve to have some fun from time to time, you know,” Hange says seriously and there is something behind her eyes that makes Mikasa feel strangely lonely. 

“Okay.” She says after Hange retrieved her arm from her shoulders, only to put it back there as she half-hugs her, sputtering excitedly. 

The patrol was boring. Almost as boring as the soldiers they accompanied, and when the time came to change shifts, Mikasa and Hange were departing the area as fast as they could. 

“That was as boring as the time I have to listen Zackary talk about art that one time,” Hange grumbles as they go up to the hill, toward the pub they are supposed to meet with Captain Ian and others. 

“Commander-in-chief likes to talk about art?” Mikasa asks and Hange pulls a weird face at her question. 

“You are so better off not knowing” she murmurs under her breath and as she looks to the side she suddenly starts waving, “Hey Ian!” 

* * *

It isn’t a complete disaster of a night as Mikasa has anticipated it would be. The pub is as crowded and loud, _and hot_ , yet somehow it is not bothering her as much this time. It has a weird home-y feel as people are laughing and drinking all around. As if there is no war outside and no titans to eat them alive so much as they stick their head out of the walls, and for the first time after many years she allows herself to pretend _as if_. 

She didn’t expect to have fun as Hange suggested, not getting bored would be the best outcome of this night. Yet here she is, having fun as two bottles of beer start loosening her nerves and muscles - including the muscles of her mouth it seems since she couldn’t remember a time that she talks this much in two hours. 

Hange seems pleasantly surprised as she brings her a third bottle, Mikasa isn’t even sure whether or not Hange even finishes off her first one. Ian was telling or yelling to be more precise due to the loud environment, a joke in her ear as a middle-aged man with a big stomach put his hand on Ian’s shoulder. The people from the table, aside from her and Hange, greet the man as he waves at them, he leans over to tell something to Ian afterward. 

“We have company today. We can’t leave them here alone.” Ian says, pointing to Mikasa and Hange and shaking his head. 

“Oh, come on! When they are going to have another chance to hear you guys perform!” the man who Mikasa identifies as the owner of the pub, says pouting, “Wouldn’t you want to hear free concert folks?” 

“Yes! Come on Ian, don’t be so coy!” Hange says from her seat beside Rico, as Rico herself starts clapping as well. 

_ Apparently, I’m not the only one who is a bit tipsy.  _ Mikasa thinks and for some unknown reasons that thought was so funny for her that she almost starts laughing. Soon after she finds herself clapping along with the others as Ian and his friends make their way to a make-shift, waist-high stage. 

“Come on!” Hange yells into her ear as she grabs her arm and makes them follow the group to the stage. They stand in front of it as many other people gather around them and soon enough the little group starts playing. There is another person that plays guitar alongside Ian, a singer, and a woman, Bari she remembers as she met her earlier that night, who plays drums. The song is relatively slow and soothing, and people around them start singing along as apparently it was a well-known song. 

Mikasa finds herself bobbing her head slightly as the song continues, her eyes meet with Ian’s and he winks at her. She is thankful that the pub is dark and hot as she feels herself blush. The song comes to a part where the other guitar player starts going solo and that was when Ian comes near to the edge of the stage and stretches his hand out to Mikasa. 

She holds it and immediately he begins spinning her, accompanies her as she spins through the whole length of the stage, in perfect harmony with the song. As the solo part of the guitar comes to an end she finds herself at the other end of the stage. Ian lets go of her hand as he starts playing once again. She feels dizzy and giddy, could hear the people cheer around her and see Hange smiling like a maniac from the other end of the stage. 

She lets out a shaky laugh. 

* * *

Ian and Rico insist walking them to the Scouting Legion’s headquarters, or to be more accurate, Ian insisted and Rico was bullied into it by Hange. As Hange and Rico are walking ahead of them, engaging in a hot debate over which legion is better, Ian and Mikasa are following them behind at a much slower pace. 

“I don’t think they realize how fast they are walking.” Ian murmurs to her. 

“Yes, they are taking bigger steps according to the rise of their voice.” Mikasa points out. 

“Really?” Ian asks and he goes silent for a second as he observes.

“…nd that’s why Scouts are the best! Beside we at least know how to take down a titan!” Hange says slurring, and her steps slow down immediately as she stops talking. 

“What?! That’s ridiculous! Do I need to remind you then that somehow Garrison was the one that played the bigger role in the first victory of humanity?!” Rico asks outraged, her steps that accelerated while she speaks begin to slow down as she stops talking. Ian chuckles beside her. 

“I guess you are right.” They continue in comfortable silence for a second until she starts speaking. 

“I never had a chance to thank you.” 

“Thank me? For what?” Ian asks, baffled. 

“For that day. For protecting Eren and refusing to let him go. For listening to a cadet even though your comrades told you otherwise.” She says softly, remembering the Battle of Trost the second time that day. They come to a halt as they reach the gates of the headquarters. Rico and Hange nowhere to be found. Ian stands in front of her. 

“There is no need to thank me. In fact, I’m the one who should be thanking you.” 

“Me? What did I do?” Mikasa asks as she holds the edge of her scarf, confused. 

“You led me to do what was needed to be done. All around me people were screaming to me, telling me to abandon the first hope we have ever got to defeat the titans; the thing is we weren’t used to seeing hopeful things so we couldn’t recognize it at the time. We have mistaken it as a failure.” 

“Not you.” Mikasa objects softly. 

“Thanks to you.” Ian smiles at her. She looks down as she smiles as well but Ian holds her jaw with gentle fingers and makes her look at him again. 

“I saw two hopes that day.” He says in a low voice, looking deeply in her eyes, “One was Eren Yeager, the boy who possesses the ability to shift into a titan, and the other one was you, a young woman carries such a power in herself that makes her superiors seem dull in comparison.” 

“Captain Ian.” Mikasa finds herself saying his name dumbly as his head starts descending towards hers. 

“Mikasa.” He whispers her name and presses his lips to hers. 

**Author's Note:**

> PS. Mikasa's badass move of cutting Annie's nape from his mouth is inspired by 'The Raven' - an amazing Levi/Mikasa fic that I highly recommend of you reading if you didn't already!
> 
> This is something I have written a few years ago but never shared. Sorry if you get bored reading the things happened in the anime. I tried to cut it off and thankfully there will be no more (I mean as long as I know, lol). Hopefully, there will be other chapters. Please let me know if you like it and want to see more.


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